September 27, 2025

Catholic Charities launches mobile food pantry

REGIONAL
By Sharon Roulier

Catholic Charities Agency of the Diocese of Springfield held a kick-off Sept. 13 of their new mobile food pantry initiative. The event was held at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Springfield. Two mobile trucks will be providing food and basic hygiene items to the needy throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts. (IObserve photo/Jeff Sullivano)

SPRINGFIELD – Catholic Charities Agency of the Diocese of Springfield has rolled out a new program aimed at providing home delivery of food and essential hygiene products to those in need throughout western Massachusetts.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts reports that each month an average of 124,282 people across the four counties of western Massachusetts receive emergency food assistance. On Sept. 13 Catholic Charities hosted a launch of its mobile food pantry at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church in Springfield.

“Following the closure of our (refugee) resettlement program, a lot of our immigrants and refugee families are needing food and then we looked deeper into it and we found that a lot of our local folks are needing food as well,” said Shaina Rodriguez, executive director of Catholic Charities Agency.

Rodriguez said that in addition to the need for affordable housing, food insecurity is a growing concern in western Massachusetts.

Catholic Charities has teamed up with The Food Bank and Blessed Trinity Parish in Greenfield with two mobile trucks ready to provide proteins, vegetables, fruits and basic hygiene items.

“Right now, since we’ve had our kickoff on the 13^th we’ve gotten about 47 signups and of those signups some of the families are about two to three folks. So we are serving some 100 folks so farm,” said Rodriguez.

These numbers are only expected to increase, said Rodriguez, as the mobile food pantry expands its reach to throughout Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties.

Rooted in Catholic social teaching, equity, compassion and community voice Catholic Charities supports western Massachusetts’ most vulnerable residents through an integrated human-centered approach focused on mental health, food insecurity and housing stability.

For more information call 413-732-3175 or email catholiccharities@diospringfield.org.